Worth the Risk
by Whimsical Storyteller
Summary: Tamaki notices when Kyouya lets a French endearment slip during hosting. "That's weird, Kyouya never told me he knew French..." What else has Kyouya been keeping from Tamaki? With his bullet-proof façade, who knows what the mysterious dark-haired teen is really covering up. Regardless of the consequences, Tamaki will always be worth the risk. (Incomplete, for now!)
1. Chapter 1

"Say, Kyouya?"

The guests were leaving and the club members were beginning to clean up after their festivities, but Tamaki stood quietly in the middle of the mess, pouting with a furrowed brow as he stared at his best friend, seeming thoroughly confused about something he was trying to decipher in his mind.

Kyouya continued scribbling down notes on the Host Club's activities of that afternoon, being aware of the importance of keeping record of their club activities for future reference. However, his attention was sparked at the use of his real name, rather than Tamaki's favorite 'mommy' nickname for him. "Yes, Tamaki? What is it?" he asked, not looking up.

"Earlier, in the courtyard during the flower viewing reception. You called that girl mademoiselle. You never told me you knew French, Kyouya!" he said, suddenly springing back to his usual lively self.

Kyouya finally looked up. He hadn't realized he had let the foreign endearment slip earlier during hosting. Oh well, easy enough to brush off. He smiled and turned to the blond. "Well I can't say I know much, I do know a few simple phrases. No more than the next student at Ouran. You may be forgetting; the twins have been taking French class with Haruhi. Naturally, they would want to confuse people and speak in French rather than Japanese. It is only expected that I caught onto some phrases." He explained, although he knew it was a lie. He had learned it shortly after meeting the tall blond during his first year in high school.

"Oh, I see…" he murmured, rubbing his chin in thought before smiling and getting to work helping the other hosts, humming to himself. _What's with the lie?_ he wondered. _Kyouya has never bothered with things he found to be of no use to him, right?_

Kyouya let out a silent sigh of relief. He knew Tamaki would not think much of it after he gave a simple explanation, but he was always nervous when even a small slip was noticed by Tamaki; or even worse, the twins. He could not let anyone catch a glimpse inside of his head. His future depended on his self-discipline.

* * *

After the other club members had departed, Kyouya stayed behind, typing away on his computer. This wasn't unusual, for he often did this to avoid going home. Although his home life was not horrible, there was a chilling stillness to it that he preferred to not be enveloped in for as long as he could help. At least, ever since he met Tamaki and founded the Host Club. It was all he had known before then.

Once Tamaki called out a goodbye and shut the door behind him, he pushed up his glasses with one finger and closed his laptop. He put his hands behind his head, leaning back and closing his eyes. The retreating sun cast soft rays into the dark, empty room from the large window behind him. This was his favorite time of day. The warmth of the sun, the soft glow of its light, and the peaceful quiet of the room as he allowed his thoughts to wander after all his work for the day was complete.

He loved letting his thoughts wander ever since he found other mind-occupying subjects other than his father and his expectations for his third son. Violet. The color was so breath-taking. Kyouya opened his eyes, frowning. His eyes were so extraordinary, and his own? Soot. The color of soot. Dark brown grime.

* * *

A week later, the dark-haired teen laid in bed, hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. He thought back to what Tamaki had said when they encountered the strange girls from Saint Lobelia.

 _Don't you realize there is nothing to be gained from a romantic relationship between two girls! If that were the case, why did God create Adam and Eve?!" the blond prince yelled, deep into a rant about how crazy the Saint Lobelia's views were._

Even now, the words stung Kyouya as his eyes threatened tears. Nonetheless, his face remained expressionless. His ability to suppress his emotions was astounding even to him. His stomach felt uneasy and his heart felt like it was being squeezed, but his entire exterior remained relaxed and neutral. What was so wrong with having a lover of the same sex? What was so wrong with being… _gay?_

Of course, he already knew the answer to this question. If he were to admit his own secret, his father would not let him back into the house, refusing to acknowledge the existence of a third son. The Ootori name alone would forever be tainted by his own biological _mistake._ He knew, even now, that his best friend wouldn't even accept him. Especially after his outburst earlier that day. He closed his eyes, willing the tears to stop, but one still managed to escape. _Damn it,_ He sighed again _What is wrong with me?_ He wondered desperately. He needed to go to sleep

* * *

Kyouya groaned, turning over to see the clock read 9:47 am. He sat up slowly, making a sour face as he looked out the bright window and put on his glasses. He felt dizzy. Waiting for the feeling to go away, he took a vitamin B12 pill. He pulled his laptop out from his school bag beside his bed and checked his phone for any important messages. His daily morning routine always included checking all forms of contact before getting out of bed, making sure he did not miss any important memos while indulging in sleep.

Sleep truly had become a luxury ever since he began high school, especially since he helped Tamaki found the Host Club. _I almost forgot, I need to check with our King and make sure he is generating ideas for the next few club meetings_ he thought, pulling out his phone to make a phone call. Best to plan during the weekend than when they were caught up with extra work during school days. Well, for him at least. Tamaki simply came up with the ideas. _If only he knew the amount of work was involved_ he thought. But he couldn't really complain. He had managed to put together any idea the blond had brought up with exceeded expectations.

 _Anything to see him happy_.

Kyouya stopped mid-typing. That was it. His feelings did not matter. No matter what, he did everything in his power to keep Tamaki happy. Even if it meant he had to sacrifice his time, his sleep, his happiness, himself.

 _Anything to see him happy._

* * *

 ** _I know this is short, but I wanted everyone to get an idea about what is going on in Kyouya's mind before getting into the story!_**


	2. Chapter 2

Tamaki yawned, stretching as he sat up. He had a wonderful dream! As the thought occurred to him, he snatched his phone hastily from his bedside table with an air of excitement before stopping himself. He placed the phone carefully back down onto the table. He would rather not bother him when he was still in his Low Blood Pressure Evil Overlord mode. Pouting, he got out of bed and got dressed, going downstairs to eat breakfast.

* * *

"MAMA! I HAVE A GREAT IDEA FOR THE HOST CLUB!" the blond shouted. With how loud he was, Kyouya held the phone a little way from his ear to preserve what was left of his eardrum. Why was he so loud? "IT WILL SURELY BRING IN MORE CUSTOMOERS! OH, KYOUYA, IT'S BRILLIANT! I JUST KNOW IT!"

"Let's hear it then, daddy," he encouraged, finally pressing the phone to his ear. He was used to getting spontaneous phone calls from the host club king, however, it never hurt his ear any less. He wondered what Tamaki had up his sleeve this time. Hopefully something within the budget. He silently awaited the blond's 'great idea.'

"Okay! So, you know how Mori and Hunny are a pair, and Hikaru and Kaoru are a pair when hosting?" he asked, sounding as if he were ready to burst.

"Well-"

"Exactly!" He exclaimed. "So, what if you and I were a pair!?" he exclaimed, finally revealing what had been torturing him to hold back.

 _WHAT?_ Kyouya's thoughts had come to a halt. _What the fuck?_

 _"_ As hosts, of course! Kind of like the twins, or Mori and Hunny!"

 _What?_ _Did I just hear him correctly?_ Kyouya's heart nearly stopped, his eyes widening in surprise. What in the hell had gotten into that buffoon? Hikaru and Kaoru were twins, of course they were a pair! Mori and Hunny were practically inseparable! After recovering from the initial shock, he cleared his throat. "Tamaki, I truly admire your creativity," he began, trying to let him down gently, "however, I do believe the guests would find this idea a tad…" _Creepy? Strange? Gay?_ "illogical. You see, the twins are a natural pair, and Mori and Hunny are simply always together. To be honest, I don't know how the guests would react." He explained, trying to remain logical. Both pairs were related in some way. Tamaki and himself were not. Going along with this new idea would make for an all too real fantasy for the club to remain respectable and school appropriate. Even so, he could hear the other instantly deflate on the other end of the line.

"Oh…" Tamaki sulked. "I guess you're right…at first I thought Haruhi and I could do something, but I thought it would mess with Haruhi's quota…and I don't want to make Haruhi angry with me…so I thought that…" he said quietly, his puppy dog eyes impossible to ignore, even through the phone. "maybe we could offer a best friend package…" he went on. "Don't you think it would be fun, mommy dear?" he asked, hoping to get some sense of approval from the dark-haired teen.

After a moment of thinking, Kyouya sighed. "I'll have to consider it. Although it is a far stretch, the guests might come to enjoy it," he said thoughtfully, hoping to cheer him up.

"Really?! You mean it?"

"Of course," he assured. "But I am sorry to say that I must be going now. I have work to do- "

"Kyouya?"

"Yes?" he hummed, slightly irritated at the interruption, but happy to listen to what the other had to say.

"Do you think that, maybe…we could have a sleepover? Like we used to?" he asked, sounding unsure, almost hesitant. "I-I mean we don't have to if it's weird or anything! I just wanted to ask so we could spend some time together…" he trailed off. In truth, he wanted to get closer to Kyouya. He obviously did not know him as well as he thought he had. He knew Kyouya had lied about the French! He may not know as much as he thought, but he could still see through him! Definitely!

Kyouya allowed himself to smile. "Maybe sometime next week, how about that?" he asked.

"Really?! Mon ami! I love you! See ya later!" he said before hanging up, significantly more cheerful than he had been moments ago.

Kyouya smiled at the boy's excitement. At least, until he realized his new daunting task. How in the world was he supposed to incorporate the prince's new idea into the club? And when would it be possible for the blond to come over so that he wouldn't have to see his father in a silent rage towards him? Granted, his father was not completely horrible, but whenever he did do something to displease him greatly, a hard slap on the face would be hard to explain to his friend. _How can we be best friends when I can't even tell him half of what goes on?_ He wondered with a frown.

Suddenly, he shook his head in frustration. That shouldn't matter, he put on a façade in front of everyone, including the people closest to him. What made him think he had to tell Tamaki anything? But then again, what made him _want_ to tell him? _Even if I wanted to, what could he do? Stop me from being this way? Stop my father from putting so much pressure on me? It's not like I mind it, I do find the challenge enjoyable. But being hit across the face is not exactly my idea of fun, either. And telling Tamaki his secret would only cause him to leave, I'd be alone again…and he would tell the entire school. Shame to Ootori name. I can't tell him anything. Even if I want to. To keep him happy. To keep me happy. This is the only solution._ He nodded, as if confirming this conclusion to himself. To love, is to protect. And he would protect the one he loved. Always.

* * *

The next day at the Host Club, Kyouya had announced to the club that they would be offering a new package to the customers: The Prince and the Apprentice. Despite the unoriginality, he knew this was the best way to add in the new idea Tamaki had sprung on him. However, Haruhi looked like she had just seen everyone grow second heads.

"A-pprent-tice?" she asked, obviously not on board with the whole fiasco.

"That's right. While you are hosting, Tamaki will correct you or show you a better way to charm the ladies. It gives the clients a sort of teacher fantasy, if you know what I'm getting at. For example, the twins give the girls the opportunity to indulge in a forbidden love fantasy, while Mori and Hunny give them the fantasy of an older brotherly figure taking care of his naïve younger sibling," he explained. In truth, he was well aware of Tamaki's feelings for Haruhi, despite him being oblivious. He knew this would be the solution to his problem. Haruhi and Tamaki were made for each other. Tamaki and he were not.

Tamaki's voice tore him from his sudden daydream. "KYOUYA! YOU'RE SO SMART, THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT! ME AND HARUHI WORKING TOGETHER!" he exclaimed, practically jumping up and down with excitement, hugging Haruhi.

"You don't have a problem with it, do you, Haruhi?" he asked, stopping turning to look at her and ignore her struggling.

"No, not at all…" she growled, pushing Tamaki off and straightening her close. Clearly, she hated the idea, but she knew she had no choice.

"Good. Now understand that this does not affect your quota. Each customer that requests this package will be counted towards you. This may even help you pay off your debt faster," he explained with a small smile, although he felt like sitting in a corner to die. He did not want Tamaki and Haruhi to be around each other anymore than they already were, but this was for the best. Even if his heart ached. "Well, what are we waiting for? Our guests will be arriving at any moment."

* * *

After the guests had left, he sat at his computer once again until everyone was on their way out, bidding farewell to the others. He waited until the final host had shut the door before closing his laptop and sighing. He went over to the curtain that hid the piano that was rarely used. He opened it and sat on the Ottoman in front of it, opening the cover for the keys and grazing his fingers over the ivory. The color almost matched his skin. Realizing how weird he was being, he closed the cover and got up, taking out a violin from inside the bench.

Everyone always wondered how he managed a high stress life with such ease. Truthfully, he took inspiration from his blond friend when he had first heard him play the piano when coming to visit him in middle school. The emotion that had flown from his fingers and into the music was beautiful. He had been so blind to how deep the blond could be, could feel. Ever since, he found that music was his favourite way to express his own emotions.

That is when he decided to learn the violin. Of course, his father would probably wonder why he wasted time on something as useless as playing an instrument. There were musicians who dedicated their own lives to it so that people like them could enjoy it without wasting the time with it themselves. He never practiced at home for that very reason.

After a few minutes tuning in, he closed his eyes and gently placed the bow on the strings. For a moment, he paused in this position. Then, he let his emotion pour out into the melody. He understood he was not the best violinist in the world, but this was stress relief. Not a competition, and he liked that. But he kept this secret, too. He didn't want anyone stepping all over the purest part of his life.

* * *

Tamaki smirked, pleased with himself. So, there were parts of his best friend that he was hiding from him! Suddenly, he was struck with an overwhelming feeling as he heard the flow of music coming from the curtain. He could not place what he was feeling, but he could feel the notes dripping with a strange mixture of emotions. _Is that really Kyouya?_ Was he catching a glimpse of the person his best friend was behind his cool mask?

He listened carefully, trying to decipher each note his friend strung. There was something bittersweet about it; as if the other was half mourning, half celebrating. It was so conflicting and discordant until suddenly, both emotions began to blend into something beautiful. It was unlike anything he had ever played on the piano, but his heart ached as he held onto every note. He quietly pushed back the curtain to reveal his friend.

Kyouya was swaying slowly as he played, eyes closed as if in a pleasant daydream. _He looks so content_ he thought, eyes wide with wonder. It was then that the bond realized he was intruding on a very private moment. He quickly let go of the curtain, grabbed his bag, and quietly left, the bittersweet song becoming softer the farther he retreated, a deep blush dusting his cheeks. _He looked so beautiful._

 _Stop. You weren't supposed to see, or hear that. It was private. I must respect the privacy of our club members…_ But now he had become much more interested in learning the inner thoughts of his closest friend. He was determined to find out more about the teen that kept everyone at arm's length, and why.

* * *

Hello everyone! Thank you for reviewing and following! I really appreciate it.

I know this has not really included the rest of the club that much, but I really want to focus on Kyouya for a little while. The plot has yet to unfold! Also, Tamaki was being a creep, I know! But it spontaneously came to me and I really wanted to add that bit! I hope you all are enjoying this story so far! Please review, and feel free to add some ideas you all might want to see incorporated!


	3. Chapter 3

Tamaki did not know what to feel when he finally got home. He had never imagined Kyouya to be the musical type. He knew the other was intelligent, but who knew he had talents outside of business and academics?

He sat down on his bed, letting his school bag drop on the floor beside it, looking forward thoughtfully. What was he feeling? What was _Kyouya_ feeling? For once, the dark-haired teen was expressing his emotions through music rather than his eyes, making it nearly impossible to decipher him. Nonetheless, the music had been absolutely beautiful, something he did not before believe his friend to be capable of.

 _Stop it. That was no doubt a private moment! You are not to intrude on others, it is improper!_ He thought in frustration. However, his eyes began to wander to the small piano in the corner of his room. There was a proper-sized one in the private music room downstairs, but he did not want to be overheard. If he could recreate the original piece by memory, he would be able to understand. He wanted to understand his best friend.

* * *

Kyouya Ootori was a mystery to most people. He had always been, and only became more confusing when he had helped Tamaki found the Host Club. In truth, he preferred it that way. He preferred the control of only showing what he wanted to show.

As he ate dinner with his father and two brothers, the only thing he wanted to do was leave and retreat to his room. He felt his every move being watched despite every one of them were reading a newspaper or medical book. Willing the strength to ask, the teen put down his spoon and cleared his throat quietly "Father?" he asked monotonal.

"Yes?" he asked, not looking away from his paper.

"Tamaki Suoh wishes to visit us tomorrow and stay the night. He and I share many classes, so he wanted to study together." He explained quietly.

His father glanced at him before turning back to his paper. "Very well," he mumbled.

 _That wasn't too bad_ he thought, a weight lifting off his shoulders. After dinner was over and the dark-haired teen finally was able to freely retreat to his room, he pulled out his phone and texted Tamaki that he could come over tomorrow before he buried himself in work.

Before he knew it, his current journal entry was being interrupted by the harsh sound of his phone ringing. The screen lit up, the light almost blinding him. "It couldn't possibly already be seven in the morning," he mumbled in slight disbelief. However, there was only one person who would be calling at this time. "Hello?" he asked, slightly concerned but also prepared for some ridiculous reason for calling him this early.

After ripping the phone away from his ear, his eardrum throbbing in pain, he managed to calm the over-excited, and definitely over-awake (for this time of morning), he assured the blond that they could go see Haruhi at her and her father's apartment to calm his worry. Despite his sudden exhaustion, he began getting ready for the dreaded trip to Haruhi's. _He will only become closer to her. But this is how it is supposed to be_ he thought, sadness seeping into his chest.

* * *

The day passed and Kyouya naturally suffered, trying not to pass out from exhaustion or low blood pressure. He regretted letting Tamaki come over tonight of all nights. Then again, it was really his own fault for losing track of time. _Are those double coupons?_

As he made his way over to the display of different flavored juices, noting the different array of coupons available, his phone rang. _Shit._ "Hello, father." He greeted cautiously.

"Where are you?" his father asked in a dangerous tone.

"I apologize for not telling you, but Tamaki had me accompany him on a trip to check on one of our club members. It was early and I did not want to be rude and wake you." He explained.

"Very well." He growled before hanging up.

He quietly put his phone in his pocket and went back to observing the ways of commoners and their means of saving money, ignoring the dread seeping into him. He glanced over at the meat section to see Tamaki fawning over Haruhi and her knowledge of finding the best products for the lowest prices.

He turned back to his own observations and kept himself occupied until they left and spent the rest of the day at Haruhi's, socializing and spending time together. He kept an eye on Haruhi and Tamaki's interactions, taking mental notes as not to be rude in her father's presence. After a few hours, he decided that it was time for them to go as to not overstay their welcome.

"We appreciate your generosity and hospitality, Ranka. However, I believe we should be going as to not overstay our welcome. It was lovely to finally be able to meet you," he said, smiling sweetly and shaking the other's hand. "And you, too, Haruhi." He added, turning to the irritated-looking female.

"Yeah, yeah. No problem…" she mumbled.

"Now you young men come by any time, it won't be a problem!" Ranka stated happily, waving to everyone as they left. Kyouya nodded quietly, still smiling at the small family as all the other host members made their way to the cars waiting for them.

"I'll be sure to keep calling, and thank you again," he said before finally joining the group, sighing as he was finally able to sit down in a soft seat next to his best friend.

"That was so much fun, Kyouya!" he exclaimed, ignoring how tired the other boy looked. "We finally got to live the life of a commoner! Who knew it could be so fun!" he continued as they drove away, rambling on, getting only half-hearted answers from the half-asleep boy beside him until they finally reached the Ootori estate.

"Make yourself at home," Kyouya welcomed. "I will return shortly. I should inform him we have arrived," he said, making his way towards his father's office. This is what he dreaded the most. Today had been a miserable one, but this was definitely the highlight. Watching the only person that gave him life love someone else, and not even be aware of it himself, and now being chewed out by his father. All while being awake for almost forty hours.

He stopped at the door and took a deep breath, straightening out before knocking.

"Come in," he heard from the other side of the door.

He opened the door, steadying himself. His blood pressure had been dangerously low for the entire day, but it was quickly rising as his anxiety built. His face, however, remained blank of emotion.

"I'm home, father. I apologize for staying out so long. Tamaki Suoh is paying his overnight visit tonight, if that is still okay."

"Of course. But I must say, Kyouya, your behavior today was unacceptable. I expected more of you," he said, resting his chin on the back of his hand. "What exactly compelled you to behave so irresponsibly?"

Kyouya thought quickly. Saying anything about the Host Club would be a bad decision, but so would saying anything about friends or enjoying 'the commoner world.' "…Nothing, father. I have no excuse," he said quietly, not meeting his father's eyes.

With those words, Mr. Ootori stood up, the sound of his chair scraping filled the spacious room, the air changing from uncomfortable to threatening as his father advanced on him. He knew better than to move, though his body was screaming at him to run.

A loud smacking sound echoed across the room as the teen stumbled back, expressionless as he grit his teeth. "It will not happen again…" he promised quietly, bowing his head.

"Remember, Kyouya: You cannot afford mistakes if you want to be heir to this family. You must work harder to meet my expectations of you."

"Yes, father."

"You may leave. And don't forget to let your friend know that we are very happy to have him stop by. We have much respect for his family's business and are glad to be good friends with them," he reminded his son, sitting down as if nothing had happened.

"Yes, father. Of course," he nodded, leaving the office quietly, waiting for the door to shut before touching a cold hand to his now hot cheek. He winched as he made his way to the nearest bathroom, examining his stinging left cheek. This treatment was not very often, but it happened enough to know when to expect it. He knew he deserved it for being irresponsible, but it was Tamaki who convinced him to go. It seemed that lately, he was tending to his every whim. Since when did he become some maid? _Since you fell in love, you moron. Now find a way to cover this up. The last thing you want to do is answer questions._

A few minutes later, he walked into his room with a freshly make-up-covered tender cheek, and a tray of refreshments to see his favorite blond idiot already in his pajamas and nosily looking through all of his things.

At the sight, he could not help but faintly smile. He would endure his father's harsh treatment, if it kept the boy in front of him happy. Then a thought struck him and he almost dropped the tray. _I will not be a slave_ he thought, angry determination filling him. _This is my goddamn life and this goddamn idiot is the reason I have any sense of real fulfillment in this hellhole of a situation. I will show my father what I'm capable of and throw it right in his face. That's right. I will no longer be controlled. I will-_

"Say, Kyouya? Are you alright…?"

"Huh?" he asked dumbly, the voice drawing him back to his senses. The cups on the tray were rattling, and he realized his hands were shaking.

"Here, let me help you with that. You look exhausted," the blond said, gently taking the tray out of his reluctant hands and setting it down on the table that was normally used for studying and doing homework. "Come on, sit down. Don't want you fainting or anything!" he said, smiling at him.

With some embarrassment, he did as he was instructed and smiled back. _Idiot_ he thought fondly, taking the cup of tea offered to him, letting the warmth steady him. "I'm sorry, it seems I had forgotten to take my medication before going out today," he explained. _You have no idea how much you affect people just by being yourself._

"Kyouya! You need to take care of yourself!" he whined, scowling at him. He leaned back to grab a pillow from the couch, hitting Kyouya with it after he put his tea down.

"Ow! Hey!" he protested, putting a hand on his shoulder and rubbing it.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Kyouya! I'm so- "

Before the blond even noticed, Kyouya had grabbed a pillow from the couch across from him and hit him back, catching the other off guard. With that, they began their almost traditional pillow fight that always started with one of them tried to tell the other what to do.

After five minutes of assaulting each other with pillows, Tamaki had managed to straddle the shorter male, which was easy considering the exhaustion taking over the other. He triumphantly hit the other in the face with the pillow, earning an unexpected gasp of pain.

"Ow!" he cried, touching a hand to his cheek and winching.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, dropping the pillow as his smile faded. "Did I hurt you?" he asked, concern lacing his voice as he reached up to touch the other's cheek, feeling the warmth radiating from it. He leaned closer to inspect it. They were both panting heavily from the adrenaline and laughter from just moments ago, but that didn't explain why his cheek was so warm, and now that he looked closer, slightly swollen.

After examining him for a minute, he finally tore his eyes away to look at the other in the eye. His solemn expression changed to a cheery smile. "I didn't mean to hit you so hard, I'm sorry!" he apologized, ignoring his gut feeling as he removed his hand and laughed heartily.

Kyouya's heart stopped as the other felt his cheek and stared at him. His face remained calm, but he was panicking, already theorizing a variety of explanations before the other broke the silence. When he accepted that it was just him hitting too hard, it didn't calm his mind. _This is my life, not my father's. I am in control._

The dark-haired teen slowly reached up and grabbed his shoulders, sitting up. The blond stopped and stared at him, confused. "Tamaki…"

"Yeah? What is it?" he asked, expression turning from confused to concerned.

He thought for a minute, a war waging in his tired mind before pulling the other into a tight hug, closing his eyes tightly as he took a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" he asked, panic and concern obvious in his voice. "You're acting pretty weird, Kyouya!" he laughed, hugging him back nonetheless. To be honest, he was overjoyed his best friend was actually showing affection! He knew it was not the pillow that had caused the other's cheek to swell, and despite his curiosity, he decided that if Kyouya wished to tell him, he would.

"I'm fine," he assured, burying his face in the other's shoulder before letting go, embarrassed. He would have happily stayed that close for so much longer, but that would be inappropriate. Tamaki was not his to have. "Anyway, would you like to do anything specific?" he asked casually, standing up and almost collapsing onto the couch, pushing up his glasses. His brain was getting foggy and he did not know how much longer he could honestly stay up.

Noting his fatigue, Tamaki settled on making a nest made of pillows and blankets on the floor and watching movies. He sat down next to his friend who did not partake in the nest-building, but did gather some snacks for them to enjoy while watching him tear the room apart in order to make the disastrous pile of fluff.

Tamaki was beaming, shoving handfuls of popcorn into his mouth as the movie began playing. To be honest, he was just as exhausted as the other. After the eventful day and the pillow fight, as well as attempting to figure out what happened to Kyouya, all he wanted to do was relax with his best friend.

He looked over as he felt something fall onto his shoulder. It was Kyouya, in a dead sleep. His mouth was slightly agape and his glasses askew from being pressed against the other's shoulder. _I wonder how many people have seen this side of him_ he wondered, smiling fondly as he set the popcorn down, turning down the movie a little. With all the work Kyouya put into his entire life, the last thing he wanted to do was interrupt his sleep. Without further thought, he gently took off the other's glasses and set them beside their shabby 'nest' and laid the other down, pulling a blanket over him. "Goodnight, mon cher ami," he whispered.

He got under a blanket next to the other and wrapped himself in a cocoon before scooting closer to the other. He would often be shoved away, but he took advantage of the fact that Kyouya was not awake to protest his friendly affection. _I mean come on! It's freezing in his house!_ He thought before smiling in amusement. _It's like it's made of his soul or something._

As the blond began to drift to sleep, he began thinking about everything that happened. Kyouya didn't pull away when he got so close to him earlier, but actually hugged him. _What was that all about, anyway?_

At some point, Kyouya woke up to find the blond sleeping in a cocoon of blankets next to him, a movie playing quietly. For a second, he was completely confused before he came to his senses and remembered what was going on. He noticed Tamaki had fallen asleep, and the clock read that it was 2:46 in the morning. He brushed some hair from the other's face and frowned slightly. Why did he have to be so damn perfect? The French and their persuasive nature was a force to be reckoned with when paired with a beautiful face and flamboyantly friendly personality. _But I'll make sure to keep my distance. Say I love you when you're not listening…_ but how long could he keep this up? _For as long as it takes._ With that thought, he drifted back to sleep, a light blush tinging his cheeks as he whispered a quick "j'taime," to the other sleeping male.

* * *

To be honest, I knew how I was going to start and end this story. However, everything in between was still a blur, and it still is. I know my writing skills are rusty, it has definitely been awhile! But if you all have suggestions, please review and tell me! I know this story might be leaving out a lot of the other club members, but don't worry, I do have vague plans to add some others in later on! Thank you for your patience! I don't normally take this long to update, but I'm in college full-time and working full-time! I hope you all can remain patient! Thank you so much, and please review! It actually does motivate me to write faster (and suggestions would seriously be a big help)!


	4. Chapter 4

With a yawn, Kyouya sat up and stretched, squinting as the light shined into the room from the large window. He rubbed his eyes and patted the floor for his glasses. _Wait- Why am I on the floor?_ Kyouya looked around, finding himself in a mess of blankets and pillows in the middle of his bedroom, and Tamaki was still asleep. What the hell happened last night?

Once he found his glasses, he looked around the room again before his eyes widened in panic. He stumbled to the large window and hastily pulled the blinds to hide his room from the outside world. Kyouya was a dead man if any press saw what he was doing on the floor with another boy in his room. He would be a dead man.

When he heard clamoring, the other woke up, opening his violet eyes and rolling around sluggishly before deciding to sit up. "Mm…bonjour, mon ami~" he greeted sleepily, stretching.

"Bonjour, hardhead," the other greeted with an amused smirk before frowning again. It was later in the day and he wondered if anyone had come into the room. Of course, his family was used to Tamaki coming over, and they knew the two boys were close friends. Kyouya hoped that nobody would think much of whatever they may have seen. "Hungry? I'm sure it's too late for breakfast, but there's certainly still time for brunch. Did you sleep well?"

"Mm…too many questions…" he mumbled, ruffling his hair into place.

 _Fucking moron with his perfect hair and stupid-ugh._ "I'll just ask the cook to fix something. How does that sound?" After getting a nod of approval, he called down and made a quick order before returning his attention to the blond, who was finally recovering from his sleep. "I apologize for falling asleep on you."

"It's okay, you were a lot lighter than I expected, Kyouya!" he said innocently.

"What are you talking about?" the other asked, bewildered.

"You fell asleep on me, remember?" Tamaki asked, looking at him, confused.

 _Oh. I literally did fall asleep on him. How embarrassing._ "Er…I meant that I was sorry that I fell asleep while we were watching the French Revolution documentary you picked out," he explained.

"It's okay! Mommy needs the rest, after all!" he said, already much chipper than he was. Despite it being almost eleven in the morning, he was still slightly grouchy.

"Are you still carrying out with that nick name?" he asked in an exasperated manner, walking to his personal bathroom to comb his hair and brush his teeth. His clothes were wrinkled and rumpled. He didn't even change before falling asleep, how disgraceful. Oh well, nobody saw him other than Tamaki.

"So, Kyouya!" the blond began, digging into his bag and finding an outfit to change into. "I've got a great idea for tomorrow! We can totally dress up as cops, and…"

Kyouya continued with his morning routine, not completely droning out the other, only listening enough to keep up with what he was rambling about. Not surprisingly, he was still going as he checked his phone and computer, even managing to construct an email before he decided to ask what he was doing. "Just handling some business, nothing to worry yourself over," he responded as someone knocked on the door. "Come in."

The smell of French toast and strawberries began to fill the room as one of the maids placed their food onto the table that they had been sitting at the night before. "Thank you," he said monotonal.

"Kyouya! You always know! You're so smart!" he exclaimed, sitting down at the table and began to devour the delicious food in front of him. "Aren't you gonna eat?" he asked after a minute, stopping mid-chew to look at him.

Smiling, he looked over his computer screen, hiding his adoring smile. "I'll be right over," he assured before returning to his work. This was one of his favorite parts of their little sleepovers. They were both just being themselves and relaxing. Then another daunting thought crossed his mind. Why was it that, lately, every time he was happy, something crossed his mind to destroy it? _There is so much he doesn't even know. He doesn't even know about my father, or my hobbies, or even my sexuality. Isn't he someone I can confide in?_ After his thoughts took over, his mood dampened considerably as he joined his friend at the table, taking small bites of his own food, mainly just scooting his food around.

They ate in silence for a while before it was broken. "Hey, Kyouya?"

"Yes?"

"Am I really your best friend?" he asked, his voice unsure.

He looked up from his half-eaten brunch to see the other looking down at his plate. "Well, of course, Tamaki…" he said.

"So…if there was something you ever wanted to talk about…you'd talk to me, right?" he asked, seeming even more unsure than before. He slowly looked up and looked the other in the eye, concern and sincerity etched onto his beautiful features.

Kyouya thought for a moment, really considering the other's question. "Don't doubt it for a second."

Tamaki didn't look completely satisfied, but he broke out into a smile. "Good! Cause you're my best friend and nothing's changing that! Can't get rid of me!"

Kyouya nodded, a small smile forming on his lips.

Not too long later, Tamaki had left and he was once again left alone. He covered his face with his hands, sitting on his bed. He was a train wreck and, to be blunt, he really needed to get his shit together. Thankfully, Tamaki seemed to understand that he did not want to be confronted about the out of character hug he had given him last night. _Keep your distance. It's for the best._

* * *

A couple of weeks later, with fresher air and more self-control, Kyouya found himself standing in a kimono in the newspaper clubroom. Tamaki was in front of him, practically blubbering as he apologized for the incident that caused them to be here in the first place. They looked ridiculous, but it seemed suspicious how calm the newspaper club president was. What was his name again? _Ah yes, Akira Komatsuzawa._

As he began to actually pay attention to the conversation rather than hiding behind his small black book, he realized the situation, and how horrible it would be if he actually let Tamaki do what he wanted in this instance. He pushed him to the side and gave the newspaper club president a smile. "On behalf of the Host club-"

"We would have to decline," he interrupted. He would have to talk to Tamaki about his lack of judgment later. There was no way in hell he would jeopardize the club like that. The newspaper club was obviously guilt tripping him, if only he were able to see that.

After they had left the room despite the prince's protests, they got silence. The idiot sat in a corner and kept fiddling with a ball. _This damn child. Ignoring us because he's upset._

At that moment, Haruhi tried to talk some reason into them, explaining how the second Tamaki looked over, they would all end up doing what he wanted anyway. She wanted to act like she knew him so well, like he hadn't had the same treatment from the blond in the past. _Get ahold of yourself. Are you seriously getting jealous? Grow up. This is supposed to be how it goes. This is a good thing._

"Let me guess, you're speaking from experience, aren't you?" the twins asked in unison. Kaoru, however, looked over at Kyouya. If anyone, he could save them from the hellish nightmare of working with the newspaper club. _I mean, he's practically made of ice. Right?_

"But don't you guys usually go for opportunities like this?" she asked.

"Well…no. More trouble than it's worth," they said, once again in unison. The last thing they needed was the newspaper club trying to pry information out of them. They risked finding out Haruhi's little secret, not to mention finding out about he and Hikaru.

Haruhi now began trying to get Mori and Hunny on board with the newspaper club. It's like she wanted them to destroy the host club. Sheesh.

Kaoru looked over at Kyoya again. _He does seem pretty set in stone, but I wonder if he has something to hide._ He wondered.

Just as he thought this, Tamaki looked over. They all stopped dead in their tracks.

"Those are the eyes," she said, giving up without a fight. She knew she wouldn't win.

"…Puppy dog eyes," the twins growled as they too gave in.

The last to give in was Kyouya. "…There will be some conditions."

 _Damn it. We were all counting on you, asshole!_ Kaoru thought, groaning. They were doomed. He knew Kyouya was smart, so maybe they weren't so doomed after all. _He always has a plan. Sneaky bastard._

"Well, if Kyouya is cool with it…" they both groaned. Everyone else seemed to agree.

 _That's the shadow king for you…_ Haruhi thought bitterly.

"That settles it," Kyouya said, closing his black folder he always had. Why was everything he had black?

With that, they all shoved Kyouya out the door and wished him luck. If they had to do it, Kyouya would know what to do the best. Plus, nobody really wanted to talk to the infamous liars of a newspaper club.

* * *

The next morning, he had brought a fake first aid kit as an 'apology gift' to Akira, hoping to find out exactly what it was the club was planning. He was not stupid and he would take the newspaper club down without barely lifting a finger if they went as far as threatening the Host Club.

When he walked in to give him the disguised tape recorder, he was practically cornered. "So, we heard you finally agreed to let us cover your club," Akira said, evil vibes radiating off of him. "Wouldn't the whole school like to know just how close the host club founders _really_ are," he said, a cruel smile on his face as he held up a picture.

Fury and embarrassment flared up inside of him as he saw the picture being taken from a distance away from his window the morning he and Tamaki had fallen asleep at his house. "I'm sorry, for a moment, I thought I was being threatened by someone who can easily be expelled by Tamaki's father, the chairman. Not to mention that I can have my family's private police report arrest people who stalk and take pictures of unknowing people. However, I know you're much smarter than to threaten people like us, so that must not have been it," he said, smiling as he grabbed the picture from the now frozen boy.

"And for your information," he began, satisfied that he now had the upper hand. "I will not tolerate any more snooping from you all. We are doing this on behalf of our president, Tamaki Suoh. Count your blessings," he said before setting down the first aid kit on the desk and leaving. "You have today and today to observe our club. We will be meeting in the courtyard. I have forwarded an email of the outline for the article you are to use. Take care," he said coldly.

As he walked down the hall, he tried to calm his nerves. Damn his irresponsibility. He should have closed the blinds on his window. He looked at the picture in his hand. From looking at it, there was no way to tell who the people in the picture were. However, the house gave away some clues that he could not afford to let slip. They hadn't even done anything strange, just a sleepover. What kind of creep was this Akira guy, anyway?

* * *

In the courtyard, they played commoner's games in hopes of boring the newspaper club to tears. Tamaki seemed to be enjoying them the most, and it was sweet. Neither of them had a perfect childhood, but Tamaki was trying to relive it to its fullest. He was just trying to get it over with. He would have enjoyed it more (secretly, of course) if the other club had not put him in such a foul mood already. He glared over at them warningly occasionally, which usually earned him a few frightened looks and squeals.

Before Kyouya knew it, he was 'it.' Okay, fine. He crouched down and touched the crumpled can that Tamaki had kicked the life out of and began to count. He heard Tamaki coax Haruhi to follow him and sighed. He hated himself. Half miserable and half amused with his self-hatred, he got up. "Hikaru, Kaoru. Hunny, Mori." He called out.

Knowing the plan, they all came out from where they were pretending to hide. Time for some intimidation.

Kaoru saw the mixed look of hatred and determination in his eyes. Something was definitely up with Kyouya. It was hard to read the guy most of the time, but he learned to see through Kyouya occasionally. The key was to just look as if you were oblivious to it. "We're already on it," the twins assured him, running ahead of everyone else to the newspaper club room.

* * *

Once Kyouya had revealed there was a recording device planted on them, they changed their tune fast. _Good. Learn your place_ he thought bitterly. He was used to digging into other peoples' business himself, but for the club's benefit, not to throw it out for the world to see like some revenge-seeking asshole. Now that that problem had been settled, it was now their duty to find out where the hell Haruhi and Tamaki had gone.

When they found them under the canopy, his heart clenched. Of course, he was expecting this. But what he had not expected was to find out that, as they were heading back to the school, Haruhi never even knew that Tamaki's father was the school's chairman. _How can you be so intelligent but ignorant at the same time?_ He thought. He was surrounded by clueless people. _Oh well. The twins are safe, Haruhi is safe, and I'm safe. That's all that I need to concern myself with._

Until he was once again watching the club compete over who would be able to bother Haruhi. Personally, he wasn't interested in playing. He had a cottage he could stay in during their time in Karuizawa. His main concern was making sure nobody embarrassed themselves. However, Kaoru's concern didn't seem to be the game, either, though he made sure his brother thought it was. He was being watched by the twin since near the end of the school year.

The staring got even more obvious after he had tipped off Tamaki about there being a piano in the bed and breakfast. "Say, what are you doing trying to help the boss?" Kaoru asked when Hikaru was busy ushering one of the guests to their room with a heavy amount of enthusiasm.

"What do you mean?" he asked indifferently, writing in his black notebook with a bored expression.

"It's not really your style to help people get together. You do trick us doing into things for the ladies all the time, but this doesn't seem to have anything to do with them. What's up with that, huh?" he asked, inching closer to the taller male.

"If we're going to talk about peoples' personal lives, then I would like to hear how long exactly you two have been keeping your secret from the rest of the club and school," he shot back, glancing at the other to see his reaction.

His eyes widened in surprise at the comeback, but he sighed. He knew if anyone were to find out, it was Kyouya. Haruhi was insightful, but she could be really oblivious. "I don't know…just…don't let Hikaru know that you know. He's more emotional, you know?"

"I understand your concern, and I respect your privacy. Therefore, I am asking you to respect mine," he said curtly.

"You're such a masochist, Kyouya," he muttered, smiling slyly as the dots connected in his head.

Kyouya glanced at him, but refused to answer. It was best to just leave the twin to his imagination than to accidentally cause trouble for himself.

This was something Kaoru couldn't tell a soul, not even his brother. He would do something to embarrass the shadow king, no doubt. _Poor guy_ , Kaoru thought as he saw his brother approach. _I have to do something. If I don't, he's going to be miserable for the rest of his life trying to keep that stupid façade he's always so concerned about on._

To help Kyouya, he was going to have to work against him.

* * *

Hey, everyone! I hope you all are enjoying this. I wanted to show some friendship between Kaoru and Kyouya in this one! And yes, I was definitely hinting that Hikaru and Kaoru are a couple. I know, I know. Some of you probably completely hate it, so I won't be making much mention of it. It was just interesting to focus on another pair of people to give everyone a break! Anyway, please review! Ideas are always welcome! I reeeeaaaally appreciate reviews (hint, hint).


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